Link connection for automatic typewriters



LINK CONNECTION FOR AUTOMATIC TYPEWRITERS Filed June 14, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l June 9, 1942. H. w. KLOID 4 LINK CONNECTION FOR AUTOMATIC TYPEWRITERS Filed June 14, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patente cl June 9, 1942 LINK CONNECTION FOB AUTOMATIC TYPE-WRITERS Henry W. Kloid, Chicago, 111., assignor to Amerlean Automatic Typewriter Company, 111., a corporation of Illinois Chicago,

-- Application June 14, 1940, Serial No. 340,422

Claims..-

The present invention is directed to the linkage employed for the actuation of the type bars of a typewriter by pneumatically controlled mechanism employing an apertured record strip containing the record to be transcribed by the typewriter. In mechanism ofthis character it is necessary to provide for a train of power connections which will be momentarily actuated each time a perforation in the record strip comes into register with one of the apertures in the tracker bar, and in this respect the mechanism is in all ways similar to that commonly used in automatic piano players.

Since the typewriter is of necessity provided with a multiplicity of type bars, and since it occasionally becomes necessary to remove the typewriter for purposes of cleaning or repair, climculty has been experienced in the past in providing for a break in the train of connections, of such character that the connections thereafter can be accurately re-engaged so that each aperture in the tracker bar will be in train with the proper key lever on the typewriter. The purpose of the present invention is to so arrange the connections that the re-engagement of the parts may be speedily and accurately performed without danger of maladiustment.

Further objects and details will appear from the description of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 represents the side elevation of a typerequired to operate the key levers is that afforded by the pneumatically operated mechanisms rather than the finger pressure applied in the manual operation of a typewriter.

Each of the key levers carries a hook it from which depends a link the lower end of which is reversely bent to provide a hook it adapted to engage the under edge of a sub lever II, which as shown in Fig. 1 is pivoted at its rear end upon 7 a pivot bar l8.' As shown in Fig. 3, the sub-levers are closely spaced in parallel relation and in position to directly underlie the respective key levers with which they are associated, so that when the links l5 hang vertically the hooked lower end of each link will be in position to engage with the free forward end of the associated sub-lever.

writer provided with four banks of key levers in conjunction with the connections provided,

which are diagrammatically illustrated as in train with a tracker bar of the usual character and with a series of pneumatics of well known Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lever frame; and

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are modifications showing various methods for actuating the intermediate or sub-levers which transmit motion to the type bars.

As shown in Fig. 1, the features of the present invention are applied to a typewriter in having key levers ll arranged in four banks, each key lever terminating in an upstanding leg l2 which mounts a type button I3 of the ordinary characte'r, In fact, the present invention is'applicable to any typewriter of standard construction regardless of the number of banks of keys, although for automatic operation it is customary The typewriter is carried by a base or frame l9 which is adapted to be supported upon a table or platform 20 having guide rails 2| which permit the typewriterto be slid inwardly upon the table or platform in the exact position required to bring the type bars respectively into register with the associated sub-levers, so that in each case the hooked end of the link will be positioned to engage the free end of the sub-lever.

In order to hold the links against lateral dis placement during the coupling together of the parts, a guide plate or bar 22 may, if desired,

be provided which is rigidly secured to and pro-- jects'forward from the frame l9 so that it will remain in rigid relation with the typewriter during the removal and replacement thereof, and the links hang downwardly through apertures in the plate. However, the use of such a guide plate is a matter of convenience only and it is not vessential that provision be made for accurately guiding the links.

In order to maintain the sub-levers in accurate relation to the overlying type bars, the sublevers are entered through slots 23 in a comb 24 secured to the front edge of a base block 25 which as shown is suspended byv brackets 26 (Fig. 2) from the table 20, so that when the typewriter with its frame and depending links is slid into position, the links will in each instance register with the associated sub-levers.

In order to normally hold the sub-levers in elevated position, a strip of sponge rubber 21 is provided against which the entire bank of levers contact, so that they will yield individually when drawn downwardly by the pneumatically actuated mechanism, but will be restored tothe elevated position when released. If desired, the

t provide "light touch keys, since the power resilient sponge rubber support may be supplemented by individual spring 28, or if desired the springs alone may be utilized to restore the levers.

The pneumatic means for individually actuating the sub-levers may be variously arranged.

In Fig. 1 I have shown four banks of pneumatics 29 of the character commonly employed in pneumatically controlled mechanisms such as piano players or the like, as well as automatic typewriters, and in these instances, the pneumatics are arranged in superposed groups to aflord the necessary space, in view of the factthat the sub-levers must be very closely spaced to correspond with the spacing of the type bars of the typewriter. Each pneumatic is connected by a link 30 with the associated sub-lever, which in turn is connected with the associated type bar, so that each individual pneumatic will control the action of a, particular type bar.

The pneumatics are actuated in the well known manner by the admission of atmospheric pressure through tubes 3|, each tube terminating in an aperture 32 in a tracker bar 33 of well known character, over which the record strip 34 is fed to bring the perforations 35 recurrently into register with the apertures in the tracker bar.

It will be understood that each longitudinally extending line of perforations correspondsto a letter or symbol on the typewriter, so that as the record strip advances, atmospheric pressure will be momentarily admitted to the associated pneumatics, which will draw down the sub-levers and key levers to imprint the letters or symbols on the paper sheet in the typewriter.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a somewhat difierent arrangement, in which the sub levers ll are extended rearwardly and are engaged by plungers 36 operated by pneumatics 31, which in this instance are reversed to impart an upward thrust to the plungers and to the extended rear ends of the sub-levers in order to draw down the forward ends which are linked to the type bars. Fig. shows an arrangement in which the pneumatics 38 are located above the extended rear ends of the sub-levers I! and connected by links 39 which draw the ends upwardly for a like purpose.

In Fig. 6, in lieu of the pneumatics heretofore described, I provide an arrangement which operates the sub-levers directly by the thrust of primary valves of a type commonly employed in mechanism of this general character. the primary valves are all mounted within a suction box 40, and each valve comprises a diaphragm M which overlies a pouch or pocket 42 communicating with an aperture in the tracker bar through a tube 43. Suction is maintained within the suction box through a pipe 44, but the suction thus maintained is insufilcient to elevate the diaphragm 4| until atmospheric pressure is admitted into the pockets underlying the respective diaphragms, which admission only occurs when a perforation in the record strip comes into register with an aperture in the tracker bar. When such registration occurs, however, the uction will be suflicient to elevate the diaphragm and with it the plunger 45 carrying an adiustable screw stem 46 which contacts with the extended rear end of the associated sub-lever, so that the required movement will be imparted thereto. The plunger is provided with a lower flange 41 and an upper flange 48. The upper flange seals the aperture through which the plunger extends when the plunger is lowered and the lower flange seals said aperture when the plunger is raised, so that during only an instant of time while the plunger is being lifted will the aperture remain As shown,

unsealed. It is also necessary to provide a leak port49 throughthe edge of the diaphragminorder to assist in the quick restoration of the diaphragm to its lowermost position by equalization of pressure after the actuation of a type bar. As shown, the valves are arranged in two or more staggered rows to accommodate the spacing required for directly acting against the'overlying closely spaced sub-levers.

The above described methods of actuating the sub-levers are referred to merelyfor purposes of illustrating the principle involved, since other arrangements capable of applying pneumatic power for the actuation of the sub-levers may occur to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, although I have here described pneumatic means for imparting the power required for actuating the sub-levers in association with a pneumatic tracker bar of well known character, it will be understood that'the same results may be obtained by the use of electrical contacts similarly arranged on a tracker bar to permit energizing of electric circuits when the contacts are closed through the apertures in the record strip in a manner well understood In the art, so that unless otherwise indicated in the claims it is not the intention to limit the invention to the employment of pneumatic mean as distinguished from other means for transmitting power in conformity with the perforations in a movable record strip.

The invention is rather directed to the means provided for disengaging and reengaging the power transmission elements which impart movement to the type bars irrespective of the manner in which the constituents of each transmission line are initially energized.

By the employment of link connections of the character described which are held in registering relationship to one another, it is possible to instantly remove the typewriter and simultaneously break the entire train of connections by the act of removal, and to thereafter restore each individual train of connections without difllculty or the danger of maladjustment by simply sliding back the typewriter to its intended position, which will bring each of the link hooks into registry with the associated sub-lever without the need for any diflicult manipulation or individual reengagement of the associated parts.

Although the invention has been described with particularity as to detail, it is not the intention, unless otherwise indicated in the claims, to limit the invention to the use of straight sublevers arranged in the manner indicated, since like results may be obtained by sub-levers otherwise arranged so that they will register with links or like connections depending from the key levers of a typewriter in such a way as to permit disengagement and reengagement of the connections in substantially the manner heretofore described.

I claim:

1. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a typewriter having a bank of key levers, automatic mechanism for initiating movements in conformity with a record registered on a movable record strip, a bank of sub-levers adapted to individually register with the respective key levers of the typewriter, a comb provided with slots through which the individual sublevers extend and within which they are maintained in registry with the key levers, means for supporting the typewriter. to maintain its key levers in registry with the associated sub-levers and adapted to permit withdrawal of the typewriter and restoration thereof to its intended position, said means including guide rails en-- gaging the base of the typewriter and adapted to guide the typewriter in fore and aft movements in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the bank of sub-levers, a link connection between each key lever and its associated sub-lever, said link connections being removable with the typewriter and positioned to register with the free ends of the sub-levers when the typewriter is restored to its intended position to permit convenient reengagement of the link connections with the respective sub-levers, and power applying connections between the respective sub-levers and the automatic mechanism for imparting movements to the sub-levers in conformity with the record registered on the movable record strip.

2. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a typewriter having a bank of key levers, automatic mechanism for initiating movements in conformity with a record registered on a movable'record strip, a bank of sublevers adapted to individually register with the respective key levers of the typewriter and having their free ends positioned in vertical alignment below the associated key levers, depending links carried by the key levers and adapted to engage with the free ends of the respective sublevers, means for supporting the typewriter in position to bring the depending links into indi-- vidual registry with the associated sub-levers and adapted to permit outward withdrawal of the typewriter with the links carried thereby and restoration of the typewriter to its intended position to permit convenient reengagement of the links with the sub-levers, said supporting means being provided with guide rails adapted to guide the typewriter in fore and aft movements outwardly and inwardly in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the bank of sub-levers, and power connections between the individual sub-levers and the automatic mechanism for imparting movements to the sub-levers in conformity with the record registered on the movable record strip.

3. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with automatic record-strip-operated mechanism of a typewriter having a bank of key levers, a bank of sub-levers and means for pivoting the same in position to underlie the respective key levers and permit the free ends of the sub-levers to move inplanes coincident with the planes of movement of the respective key levers, a link connection between each key lever and its associated sub-lever, the lower end of the link connection being configured to conveniently engage with and release from the free end of the sub-lever, means for supporting the typewriter in position to permit the links to register with the sub-levers and adapted to permit the typewriter to be outwardly withdrawn and the link connections to be disengaged as a group from the sub-levers and adapted when the typewriter is restored to permit the links to be conveniently reengaged with the sub-levers, said supporting means including guide rails adapted to guide the typewriter in movements in a fore and aft direc-- tion, and in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the bank of sub-levers, and power applying connections between the respective sub-levers and the automatic mechanism for imparting movements to the sub-levers in conformity with the record registered on the record strip.

4. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with automatic record-strip-operated mechanism of a typewriter having a bank of key levers, a bank of sub-levers and means for pivoting the same in position to underlie the respective key levers and permit the free ends of the sub-levers to move in planes coincident with the planes of movement of the respective key levers, a fixed comb provided with slots through which the free ends of the sub-levers project for holding the sub-levers in registering relation with the respective key levers, a link connection between each key lever and its associated sub-lever, the lower end of the link connection being configured to conveniently engage with and release from the free end of the sublever, means for supporting the typewriter in position to permit the links to register with the sub-levers and adapted to permit the typewriter to be outwardly withdrawn and the link connections to be disengaged as agroup from the sub-levers and adapted when the typewriter is restored to permit the links to be conveniently reengaged with the sub-levers, said supporting means including side rails adapted to guide the typewriter in movements in a fore and aft direction, and in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the bank of sub-levers, and power applying connections between the respective sublevers and the automatic mechanism for imparting movements to the sub-levers in conformity with the record registered on the record strip.

5. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a typewriter having a bank of key levers, automatic mechanism for initiating movements in conformity with a record registered on a movable record strip, a bank of sublevers adapted to individually register with the respective key levers of the typewriter and having their free ends positioned in vertical alignment below the associated key levers, depending links carried by the key levers and adapted to engage with the free ends of the respective sublevers, means for supporting the typewriter in position to bring the depending links into individual registry with the associated sub-levers and adapted to guide the typewriter in fore and aft movements from and to its intended position in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the bank of sub-levers, thereby permitting convenient disengagement and reengagement of the links with the subelevers, and power connections between the individual sub-levers and the auto- .matic mechanism for imparting movements to the sub-levers in conformity with the record registered on the movable record strip.

HENRY W. KLOID. 

